Adjustable binaural tube assembly

ABSTRACT

Subject invention relates to a novel and improved binaural stethoscope which allows the stethoscope ear tips to be properly positioned and maintained in the ear canals of the physician or examiner for prolonged intervals without excessive personal discomfort. The ear tubes of the stethoscope are interconnected one to the other by a leaf spring assembly that includes a pair of leaf springs, means for adjusting the angle at which the springs are connected together at one end, and sleeves which are secured to the springs at their other end and which may be rotatably and slidably positioned on the external peripheral surface of the ear tubes.

United States Patent 1 Wilson, deceased et a1.

ADJUSTABLE BINAURAL TUBE ASSEMBLY Inventors: Raymond Wilson, deceased, late of Gatewood Apts., No. 516, Bldg. 22, Cornwells Heights, Pa. 19020 Kathryn Wilson, executrix; Emanuel S. Mendelson, 931 Rt. 113, Harleysville, Pa. 19438 Spach [81/24 French 181/24 Primary ExaminerStephen J. Tomsky Attorney- R. S. Sciascia, H. Hansen et a1.

[57] ABSTRACT Subject invention relates to a novel and improved binaural stethoscope which allows the stethoscope car tips to be properly positioned and maintained in the ear eanals of the physician or examiner for prolonged intervals without excessive personal discomfort. The ear tubes of the stethoscope are interconnected one to the other by a leaf spring assembly that includes a pair of leaf springs, means for adjusting the angle at which the springs are connected together at one end, and sleeves which are secured to the springs at their other end and which may be rotatably and slidably positioned on the external peripheral surface of the ear tubes.

4 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures Patented July 17, 1973 3,746,124

INVENTORS EMANUE L S. MENDELSON m RAYMOND WILSON ATTORNEY ADJUSTABLE BINAURAL TUBE ASSEMBLY The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

The effectiveness of a binaural type stethoscope often depends on the adequacy of the air tight interconnection between the ear tips of the instrument and the examiners ear canals. Stethoscopes, which are presently in use, often provide rotatable ear tubes on an interconnecting constant tension spring member that biases the ear tubes into contact with the examiners ear canals. This rotatable feature of the ear tubes of the stethoscope improves the desired air tight ear tip-ear canal connection through proper adjustment of the horizontal angle of entry of the ear tip into the ear. Although adjustment of the vertical angle of entry of the ear tip into the ear is of equal importance in providing a satisfactory ear tip-ear canal interconnection, no stethoscope in present use provides for such an adjustment. Moreover, no presently used stethoscope provides for adjustment of the tension of the ear tube spring biasing member to minimize discomfort particularly when the instrument is used for prolonged intervals.

It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide a novel and improved binaural stethoscope which permits adjustment of its component ear tubes and ear tips in various positions to assure a proper air tight interconnection with the'ear canals of the physician or examiner.

lt is a further object of the invention to provide a novel and improved binaural stethoscope in which the tension of the spring member that biases and maintains the ear tips in proper position in the ears of the examiner may be adjusted and varied to minimize the examiners discomfort during prolonged use.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is an enlarged exploded side view of the leaf spring interconnecting device shown in FIG. 1.

Referring now to the various figure sof the drawing, it will be noted that the ear tips 3 and 5 of the improved stethoscope 7 of the invention are respectively connected in any suitable manner to one end of the rigid tubular ear pieces or tubes 9 and 11. The other end of the ear tubes 9 and 11 are connected to the chestpiece 13 of the stethoscope through the binaural flexible conduits l5 and 17, the Y-shaped connector 19 and the flexible sound conduit 21. Sleeves 23 and 25 are respectively slidably disposed on the external peripheral surface of ear tubes 9 and 11. As will be more apparent hereinafter, the grip screws 27 and 29 through sleevs 23 and 25 provide means for locking the sleeves in any selected longitudinal or rotational disposition along ear tubes 9 and 11. One end of leaf spring 31 is secured to sleeve 23 and one ed of leaf spring 33 is secured to sleeve 25. The other end of each leaf spring is connected to the locking device 35 which controls the angular interconnection therebetween. More specifically, the end of leaf spring 31 is secured to the annular collar member 37 along a radial plane thereof and the end of leaf spring 33 is secured to the annular'collar member 39 along its radius plane. Collar members 37 and 39 are adapted to be clamped together by the stud 41, that extends outwardly and axially from collar 37 through the annular collar 39, and threadedly engages the grip nut or the like 43. The contiguous surfaces of collar members 37 and 39 are preferably serrated as at 45 and 47 to positively maintain the collar members 37 and 39 and their attached leaf springs 31 and 33 in a selected angular position, when the same are clamped together.

In operation, rotation of the ear tubes 9 and l 1 in the sleeves 23 and 25 in various selected positions provides control of the horizontal angles atwhich the ear tips 3 and 5 engage the ear canals of the examiner. Raising and lowering the sleeves 23 and 25 on the ear tubes provides control of the vertical angle at which the ear tips engage the ear canals of the examiner. Rotation of the collars 37 and 39 with respect to one another provides control of the vertical angle at which the ear tips engage the examiner's ear canals and also control of the biasing force which maintains the ear tips seated in the examiners ear canals. It has been found that with these various adjustments of the improved stethoscope of the invention, the instrument may be properly seated in the examiner's ear canals for prolonged intervals with maximum efficiency and minimum discomfort.

It is to be understood that although leaf springs 31 and 33 are shown herein as being adjustably interconnected by the locking device 35, any other suitable adjustable interconnecting or linking mechanism such as a hinge with a turnbuckle or other hinge angle adjustment arrangement could be used without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

It is also to be understood that various conventional features of commonly used stethoscopes such as the earmuff shells disclosed in applicants US. Pat. No. 3,469,651 could be used in combination with the features of applicants invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the same.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood thatwithin the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. A binaural stethoscope comprising:

a pair of ear tubes;

a chestpiece;

an ear tip connected to one end of each of said ear conduits connecting the other end of each of said ear tubes to said chestpiece;

a pair of connecting devices connected to the outer peripheral surface of each of said respective ear tubes;

a pair of straight leaf springs, each having a first and second end with each of said first ends respectively connected to one of said connecting devices and said leaf springs so positioned as to have their wide surfaces facing each other;

a first annular collar secured at its outer circumference to one of said leaf springs so that said wide surface of said leaf spring forms a line parallel to the axis of said first ollar where secured to said first collar;

a second annular collar secured at its outer circumference to the other of said leaf springs so thatsaid wide surface of said leaf spring forms a line parallel to the axis of said second collar where secured to said second collar; and

means for clamping the annular collars together at selected rotational positions for varying the vertical angle formed between said wide surfaces of said leaf springs.

2. A binaural stethoscope according to claim 1 wherein each of said pair of connecting devices further comprises:

a sleeve which is secured to its respective leaf spring and which rotates about and slides along said outer peripheral surface of its respective ear tube; and

a clamping device securing said sleeve to a plurality of selected points on said outer peripheral surface of said respective ear tube.

3. A binaural stethoscope comprising:

a pair of ear tubes;

a chestpiece;

an eartip connected to one end of each ear tube;

conduits connecting the other end of each tube to the chestpiece; and

means for biasing the ear tubes in a plurality of positions such that said ear tubes are adapted to properly engage and be properly maintained in the ears of an examiner, said biasing means including a pair of leaf springs connected together at one end and adjustably connected to said ear tubes at the other ends, said biasing means further including means for varying the angle between the connected ends of said leaf springs having an associated annular collar secured to each of said leaf springs, each of said springs being secured to its associated annular collar along a radius thereof, and means for clamping the annular collars together end to end at selected rotational positions thereof. 4. The apparatus as described in claim 3 wherein said means for clamping the annular collars further include contiguous surfaces on the annular collars that are serrated for clamping together. 

1. A binaural stethoscope comprising: a pair of ear tubes; a chestpiece; an ear tip connected to one end of each of said ear conduits connecting the other end of each of said ear tubes to said chestpiece; a pair of connecting devices connected to the outer peripheral surface of each of said respective ear tubes; a pair of straight leaf springs, each having a first and second end with each of said first ends respectively connected to one of said connecting devices and said leaf springs so positioned as to have their wide surfaces facing each other; a first annular collar secured at its outer circumference to one of said leaf springs so that said wide surface of said leaf spring forms a line parallel to the axis of said first ollar where secured to said first collar; a second annular collar secured at its outer circumference to the other of said leaf springs so that saId wide surface of said leaf spring forms a line parallel to the axis of said second collar where secured to said second collar; and means for clamping the annular collars together at selected rotational positions for varying the vertical angle formed between said wide surfaces of said leaf springs.
 2. A binaural stethoscope according to claim 1 wherein each of said pair of connecting devices further comprises: a sleeve which is secured to its respective leaf spring and which rotates about and slides along said outer peripheral surface of its respective ear tube; and a clamping device securing said sleeve to a plurality of selected points on said outer peripheral surface of said respective ear tube.
 3. A binaural stethoscope comprising: a pair of ear tubes; a chestpiece; an eartip connected to one end of each ear tube; conduits connecting the other end of each tube to the chestpiece; and means for biasing the ear tubes in a plurality of positions such that said ear tubes are adapted to properly engage and be properly maintained in the ears of an examiner, said biasing means including a pair of leaf springs connected together at one end and adjustably connected to said ear tubes at the other ends, said biasing means further including means for varying the angle between the connected ends of said leaf springs having an associated annular collar secured to each of said leaf springs, each of said springs being secured to its associated annular collar along a radius thereof, and means for clamping the annular collars together end to end at selected rotational positions thereof.
 4. The apparatus as described in claim 3 wherein said means for clamping the annular collars further include contiguous surfaces on the annular collars that are serrated for clamping together. 